With the advent of the Internet and the wide adoption of smartphones, the “smart home” concept or home automation can be realized where appliances and devices in a home can be connected to the Internet and be capable of being monitored and controlled remotely. However, implementation of Internet controllable devices, referred to as Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, in homes or offices remains challenging in various aspects.
For example, an environment with multiple IoT devices or connected devices being installed in a closed proximity presents challenges to a user. For instance, it is sometimes difficult to identify which IoT device is the one referenced inside a particular application (App). This could lead to turning ON or OFF the incorrect IoT device unintentionally. Alternately, a user may opt for voice commands. However, when there are multiple devices, it is difficult for the user to remember the designated name of each IoT device when it was originally programmed. Also, voice command is only good for simple interactions, such as short commands of On, Off, Higher, and Lower. Voice commands have limitations in providing general control.
Conventional methods for controlling or operating IoT devices uses applications (Apps) that are installed on a mobile device. As each IoT device may have its own associated App, a user may have to navigate around to locate a specific App for a specific IoT device. Furthermore, the user interface for each App are often designed differently. With multiple IoT devices and different styled Apps, a user often finds it confusing and difficult to master the navigation of each App for controlling the multiple IoT devices.